Bryon Bay leads push to get Wicked slogans banned

BYRON Shire Council is getting further behind the campaign by local grandfather Paul McCarthy to get offensive and sexist slogans off Wicked vans and off local streets.

Mr McCarthy kicked off his campaign last month after spraying over an offensive slogan on a Wicked vehicle parked in Byron Bay.

He subsequently appealed to the council to do something about banning the vans and the slogans at their last meeting.

At this Thursday's meeting Councillor Duncan Dey will introduce a motion that if supported would see the council, "Write to the Premier of NSW Mike Baird supporting calls to get the slogans off the vans, or the vans off the road, or the drivers out of the vans."

The council would also send a copy of that letter to the Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk, where most Wicked Vans are registered.

One of many Wicked camper vans operating across Australia, displaying offensive language.Contributed

The motion also asks staff to investigate ways in which the council can support such a ban on the slogans.

It suggests the council could erect signs at shire entry points in multiple languages saying "van drivers, your Wicked slogan is not welcome in Byron Shire" or excluding vans with wicked slogans from using caravan parks.

Mr McCarthy has also been garnering support from backpacker hostels to force those hiring the vans to cover the offensive slogans at their premises.

He has also approached neighbouring councils in Tweed and Ballina to support similar bans to those suggested for Byron.

Wicked Campers. Photo: Contributed.Contributed

This comes hard on the heels of the support Splendour in Grass gave the campaign by asking festival goers to think twice about renting a van with a sexist or misogynist slogan on it.

The motion has support from Mayor Simon Richardson who supports looking at "ways that we are able to influence the behaviour of the Wicked vans, which I think we all agree is abhorrent."

He suggested that given the offensive slogans form part of the company's advertising, they may be liable to be fined for offensive advertising.

"Ownership is the problem and we would need staff to explore who it was that we would fine," he said.